Bar City is located on the territory of Montenegro. Here in 1954 the seaport was built, which today is the largest in the country. If you look at the location of the city on the map, you can see that on one side it is washed by the Adriatic Sea, on the other it is protected by a mountain ridge with coniferous forests growing on it. Behind the mountains in the valley near the city is located the cozy Skadar Lake, which is a national reserve of Montenegro.
City `s history
Montenegrin town of Bar has its history since ancient times. Historians tend to believe that the first settlements in this area began to form in the Bronze Age, around 2000. BC e. It is known that this area was previously called Antipargal, and it was renamed Antibarium approximately in the tenth century. There is a version that this name is associated with the neighboring Italian province of Bari.
Later, when the tribes of the Slavs began to settle there, the city was renamed, but the root bar was preserved.
Thus, today there are three settlements with the root “bar” - in fact, the Bar itself, the Old Bar, where all the historical monuments of architecture and the Italian Bari are concentrated, which is easy to reach if desired.
The first inhabitants of Bar preferred to settle on the hills, away from the water. The townspeople turned their settlement into a fortress, enclosing it with a stone wall to repel neighbors' raids from the East. From about the 9th to the 15th century, Byzantines seized the city several times, and in 1571 the city was conquered by the Turks. The Ottoman yoke lasted about 300 years. During this time, the Turks thoroughly rebuilt the city - except for mosques, the Ottomans built an aqueduct, a clock tower and saunas.
In 1878, the Montenegrins conquered their territories from the Turks, but during the fighting a powder warehouse was blown up, as a result of which the city practically turned into ruins. Today this part of the city is called the Old Bar. It is a huge open-air museum. The locals decided to build a new settlement closer to the sea, which still exists today called the New Bar.
Currently, the city of Bar is the administrative center of the resort Barskaya Riviera. The population of the city of Bar is small - it is only about 14 thousand people. However, this does not prevent the city every year to take a huge number of tourists from around the world. The healing combination of sea air and coniferous plantations creates a unique microclimate here. therefore The city is considered to be a health resort, widely known outside its country.
How to get to the Bar?
City Bar has a good road junction. From it you can reach almost any city of Montenegro. The most popular tourist destinations are the routes from Bar to the capital of Montenegro, Podgorica, as well as to the resort town of Budva and vice versa. The main type of transport that provides an influx of tourists into the country is an airplane. However, there is no airport at Bar itself. But in the neighborhood of the city there are two airports at once - one in Podgorica, the other in Tivat.
These cities are located near the Bar. The distance to Podgorica is about 50 km, to Tivat - a little more than 60 km, to the popular among tourists Budva - about 35 km.You can get from one city to another by bus, taxi or rent a car. In any case, it will be more profitable to book a transfer in advance - at the airport all services are traditionally much more expensive.
However, despite such short distances, it will not be possible to drive quickly - the road is narrow, serpentine, and moreover, it is almost always full of a lot of tourist buses.
From Podgorica to the resort can also be reached by train. About a kilometer from the airport terminal is the Aerodrom railway station. Trains run quite often - about 10 flights a day. Tickets can be purchased directly from the conductor. The order is maintained in the cars - all trains are clean and serviceable. The first train starts to run at 5.15 am, and the last one departs at 21.40. By the time the road takes an hour.
Where can I stay?
The bar is a very democratic resort in terms of housing prices. Here you can find a hotel for any income. A lone traveler can find a hostel in the city for a small price, and families with children can rent apartments in a 4-star hotel at a price lower than the price they would have asked from in neighboring Becici or Budva. We list some of the most popular places among the city guests.
Apartments Kojic
Cozy guest house is located in the suburb of Bar - Shushan town. The hotel guests is popular because of the high level of services offered and convenient location. The hotel provides transfer services upon request. Also, for the convenience of guests, each room has WI-FI, a split-system works. The hotel has its own garden, which is especially convenient for those traveling with children.
Apartments Radosavovic
The hotel is also located in Shushani and offers its guests comfortable studio rooms with balconies, a bathroom and a kitchenette. The hotel has a comfortable terrace, a barbecue area and a tennis court. The hotel has a guide who can consult on sightseeing and sightseeing tours.
Hotel Princess
This small hotel complex consists of only 30 rooms, but is a great success. It is located in the immediate vicinity of the pier, in the heart of the Bar. Upon request, vacationers can choose the view from the window to the park or the sea coast. Spa lovers can enjoy a modern wellness center located on site.
It also employs fitness instructors who hold various sports activities every day. After a workout, you can soak in the Turkish hammam or relax under the hands of an experienced massage therapist.
For lovers of light snacks, there is a snack bar.
Weather
The Adriatic coast, where the city of Bar is located, is famous for its mild climate. Due to the fact that on the one hand the city reliably protects the mountains and the forest, strong winds rarely occur here. Winter is usually warm and short, and summer is hot and dry. The coolest month is January, and the hottest is traditionally August.
In May, the water is still not warm enough, so swimming is not very comfortable, but the tourist flow begins to come to life at the end of April and lasts until the end of October. The peak season is usually in the summer, but the weather allows you to sunbathe here almost all year round.
sights
Lovers of antiquity and ancient monuments definitely worth a visit Old Bar. This place keeps traces of many peoples who settled here.: from the ancient Romans and Slavs to the warriors of the Ottoman Empire and, finally, the Montenegrins themselves. There are many ancient ruins and buildings that were destroyed relatively recently, during the 1979 earthquake. Both those and others look so picturesque that a rare tourist will resist the temptation to make selfies against their background.
In Bar, a large number of ancient churches - Orthodox and Catholic, which peacefully coexist with the Muslim mosques left after the Turkish invasion. Deserves close attention turkish aqueductbuilt in the XVI century. According to him, the city received water from nearby rivers. In the Old Bar, the fortress walls and the main gates are well preserved, which made it possible to keep the defenses from numerous attacks by uninvited neighbors.
Many excursions carry here, but you can get to this place on your own.. In Montenegro, there is public transport that runs between cities, but seasoned travelers advise renting a car, especially if you are traveling with your family or company. So you can see more interesting places.
If you prefer an organized form of recreation, then it is better to take excursions on the embankment. Here prices are much lower than those offered by tour operators in hotels.
One of the attractions of the Bar is olive Tree. Locals with great respect for these plants.
There is a tradition here that until the young man plant a dozen olives, he has no right to start a family, so olive plantations are found at every step.
But there is one special olive - long-lived. Locals claim that her age has exceeded 2,000 years. The tree is considered the oldest in the world, therefore it is protected in a special way - surrounded by a reliable fence, but in order to look at it, you need to pay for the ticket.
As for the New Bar, it is worth a visit. palace of king nikolabuilt in 1885. Now it is a museum where many different thematic exhibitions are constantly held. In the vicinity of the palace is a wonderful botanical garden, so the museum is immersed in the greenery of exotic plants, which are carefully gathered around the Mediterranean coast.
But the main city attraction is considered Church of St. John Vladimir. He was the ruler of the state of Dukla, and after martyrdom he was counted among the rank of saints. Now he is considered the patron saint of the city, pilgrims come to the place of his burial. The temple looks very majestic - its entire territory occupies about 1,200 square meters. m, and the height of this structure is 41 m.
Places for recreation and entertainment
In the Bar itself, all major entertainment, as in any sea city, is concentrated on the embankment. Life is in full swing here both in the afternoon and in the evening. During the season, there are many cafes here where you can taste not only national cuisine, but also dishes of other nations. For children there amusement park. Nightlife in the city is not very active. Only a few beaches hold foam discos.
Beaches
There are several beaches in the vicinity of Bar. They are covered with small pebbles or sand. The descent to the sea is shallow, which is especially comfortable for young children. Most beaches are equipped with sun beds and umbrellas.
- Directly in the Bar there are small pebbles Topoplitsa beach and sandy Sutomore and Golden Beach, so named because of the particular color of the sand. He is yellow with a bright beautiful shade. You can also visit Red Beach, famous for its abundance of small pebbles of unusual terracotta color.
- A little away from him is Zukotrlica beach with large pebbles, otherwise known as Shushan.
- Approximately 10 km from the city there are beaches called Large and Small sands. It is worth waiting for the evening to admire how the sun hides behind the centuries-old oaks growing right on the coast.
- Near located Utien Beach It is unique in that it has a bland spring, which flows into the sea. As a result of this merger, the water has a beautiful turquoise hue.
- As part of the Bar Riviera there are also several beaches, but they are located at some distance from the Bar itself.
The most famous among them is the Royal Beach, to which you have to sail by ferry, as well as Pearl, with a rock that cuts the sea bay into two parts.
Shopping
Like any other resort town, the Bar abounds with small souvenir shops and large stores. Olive oil is considered a favorite among the gifts - it is of the highest quality here. For local delicacies you should go to the Topolitsa market, where there is literally everything: from local flavored cheeses to Chinese wallets. Locals prefer to shop in large shopping centers such as Discont Conto, where there is an excellent selection of products at affordable prices.
For clothes and shoes worth a walk to the mall Ulica Vladimira Rolovicawhere you can buy things of excellent Italian quality. Jewelry connoisseurs can be advised to visit the boutique Golden point. Here you can buy leather goods from natural and artificial materials.
In addition to oil, tablecloths and hand-embroidered towels, items of national clothing, wooden crafts, musical instruments, such as psaltery, are brought from the Bar. Here are very tasty and organic fruits. The most popular of them are figs, dates and zinzula (something between a pear and an apple, the size of a date).
Tours
If you are traveling in the company of small fidgets, the question of how to organize children's leisure at a time when you are not at the beach will certainly arise. In this regard, the New Bar has a developed infrastructure. For example, it is very popular with children and their caring parents. Disney Children's Center. There is a huge amount of game labyrinths and trampolines for different age categories.
For those who are tired, they show great Disney cartoons and other children's programs. If your child is already out of toddlers, then it will certainly appreciate Lovcen Park. It successfully combines a protected area with natural springs and a play area with rope ladders. In the park you can rent a bike or quad bike, ride on the rollers. There is also a barbecue area next to which you can pitch a tent.
Those who are older are recommended to visit another park that is a national treasure, - Durmitor. It is considered a conservation area and is included in the top 100 objects protected by UNESCO. Here, wildlife harmoniously coexists with the benefits of civilization. In the park you can and should pick berries, ride horses.
Fans of extreme sports are invited to participate in rafting, mountain biking.
Young people and families with children prefer to spend their leisure time in an amusement park near Black Lake. There are many natural lakes in the park, where you can swim and underground caves, inspection of which will take more than one day. In Durmitor, everyone, regardless of age, will find something for everyone. Therefore, it is recommended to come here for a few days.
Reviews
The bar leaves a mixed impression of itself. The old part of the city is very colorful and interesting. But the new part of the Bar is unremarkable for tourists. Since this is a port city, the nearby beaches and the sea are very dirty, and you need to get to the comfortable bathing places. Therefore, swimming in the Bar itself is not recommended, especially for small children.
But thanks to the close proximity of Italy, there is great shopping here, and the price level, according to the feedback from tourists, is lower than in neighboring cities. Here everyone will find something interesting for themselves.
For more information about the city of Bar in Montenegro, see the next video.